Natasha's Dance (189 page)
* Soviet films that used montage had a far higher number of different shots (in October, f
October,
extraordinary looks) starred in several films as well. Meyerhold and Mayakovsky had been cl
extraordinary looks) starred in several films as well. Meyerhold and Mayakovsky had been cl
extraordinary looks) starred in several films as well. Meyerhold and Mayakovsky had been cl
Mystery Bouffe.
deus ex machina
78
lubok-like
150,000,000
bylina,
lubok
chastushka
Forward, my country,
Forward, my country,
Forward, my country,
move on faster! Get on with it,
move on faster! Get on with it,
move on faster! Get on with it,
sweep away the antiquated junk! Stronger, my commune,
sweep away the antiquated junk! Stronger, my commune,
sweep away the antiquated junk! Stronger, my commune,
strike at the enemy, Make it die out,
strike at the enemy, Make it die out,
strike at the enemy, Make it die out,
that monster, the old way of life.79
that monster, the old way of life.79
that monster, the old way of life.79
79
Mayakovsky embraced revolution as a quickening of time. He longed to sweep away the clut
Mayakovsky embraced revolution as a quickening of time. He longed to sweep away the clut
Mayakovsky embraced revolution as a quickening of time. He longed to sweep away the clut
(byt),
and more spiritual existence (bytie).* The battle against byt was at the heart of the Russ
and more spiritual existence (bytie).* The battle against byt was at the heart of the Russ
and more spiritual existence (bytie).* The battle against byt was at the heart of the Russ
(bytie).*
byt
80
byt.
samovar,
Izvestiia,
From the wall Marx watches and watches
From the wall Marx watches and watches
From the wall Marx watches and watches
And suddenly
And suddenly
And suddenly
Opening his mouth wide,
Opening his mouth wide,
Opening his mouth wide,
He starts howling:
He starts howling:
He starts howling:
The Revolution is tangled up in philistine threads
The Revolution is tangled up in philistine threads
The Revolution is tangled up in philistine threads
More terrible than Wrangelf is philistine byt
More terrible than Wrangelf is philistine byt
More terrible than Wrangelf is philistine byt
byt
Better
Better
Better
To tear off the canaries’ heads -
To tear off the canaries’ heads -
To tear off the canaries’ heads -
So communism
So communism
So communism
Won’t be struck down by canaries.81
Won’t be struck down by canaries.81
Won’t be struck down by canaries.81
81
In much of his writing Mayakovsky talked of his desire to escape this humdrum world of mat
In much of his writing Mayakovsky talked of his desire to escape this humdrum world of mat
In much of his writing Mayakovsky talked of his desire to escape this humdrum world of mat
Pro eto (About This)
menage a trois
byt,
82
Pro eto
* The word byt (‘way of life’) derived from the verb byvat’, meaning to happen or take plat e.
* The word byt (‘way of life’) derived from the verb byvat’, meaning to happen or take plat e.
* The word byt (‘way of life’) derived from the verb byvat’, meaning to happen or take plat e.
byt
byvat’,
bytie
byt
29. Alexander Rodchenko: illustration from Mayakovsky’s Pro eto (1923)
29. Alexander Rodchenko: illustration from Mayakovsky’s Pro eto (1923)
29. Alexander Rodchenko: illustration from Mayakovsky’s Pro eto (1923)
Alexander Rodchenko: illustration from Mayakovsky’s
(1923)
tiny room while his lover Lily carries on with her busy social and domestic life, dreams
tiny room while his lover Lily carries on with her busy social and domestic life, dreams
tiny room while his lover Lily carries on with her busy social and domestic life, dreams
cates his own crisis of identity, because in his imagination she is tied to the ‘petty-bo
cates his own crisis of identity, because in his imagination she is tied to the ‘petty-bo
cates his own crisis of identity, because in his imagination she is tied to the ‘petty-bo
byt
Resurrect me -
Resurrect me -
Resurrect me -
I want to live my share! Where love will not be - a servant of marriages,
I want to live my share! Where love will not be - a servant of marriages,
I want to live my share! Where love will not be - a servant of marriages,
lust,
lust,
lust,
money. Damning the bed,
money. Damning the bed,
money. Damning the bed,
arising from the couch, love will stride through the universe.83
arising from the couch, love will stride through the universe.83
arising from the couch, love will stride through the universe.83
83
4
4
4
4
4
In 1930, at the age of thirty-seven, Mayakovsky shot himself in the communal flat in which he
In 1930, at the age of thirty-seven, Mayakovsky shot himself in the communal flat in which he
In 1930, at the age of thirty-seven, Mayakovsky shot himself in the communal flat in which he
As they say,
As they say,
As they say,
a bungled story. Love’s boat
a bungled story. Love’s boat
a bungled story. Love’s boat
smashed
smashed
smashed
against existence. And we are quits with life.
against existence. And we are quits with life.
against existence. And we are quits with life.
So why should we idly reproach each other
So why should we idly reproach each other
So why should we idly reproach each other
with pain and insults? To those who remain - I wish happiness.84
with pain and insults? To those who remain - I wish happiness.84
with pain and insults? To those who remain - I wish happiness.84
84
The Briks explained his suicide as the ‘unavoidable outcome of Mayakovsky’s hyperbolic
The Briks explained his suicide as the ‘unavoidable outcome of Mayakovsky’s hyperbolic
The Briks explained his suicide as the ‘unavoidable outcome of Mayakovsky’s hyperbolic
85
86
Suicide or murder, the significance of the poet’s death was clear: there was no longer ro
Suicide or murder, the significance of the poet’s death was clear: there was no longer ro
Suicide or murder, the significance of the poet’s death was clear: there was no longer ro
The Bedbug
87
88
The Bath House,
austere face, his arms folded behind him, as he paced the empty rooms’.89 At an evening devo
austere face, his arms folded behind him, as he paced the empty rooms’.89 At an evening devo
austere face, his arms folded behind him, as he paced the empty rooms’.89 At an evening devo
89
90
The activities of RAPP (the Russian Association of Proletarian Writers) made life i
The activities of RAPP (the Russian Association of Proletarian Writers) made life i
The activities of RAPP (the Russian Association of Proletarian Writers) made life i
91
92
By the beginning of the 1930s, any writer with an individual voice was deemed political
By the beginning of the 1930s, any writer with an individual voice was deemed political
By the beginning of the 1930s, any writer with an individual voice was deemed political
The Crimson Island),
(Adventures of Chichikov),
Fatal Eggs)
The Heart of a Dog
organs of a dog into a human being) were not only banned from publication but forbidden t
organs of a dog into a human being) were not only banned from publication but forbidden t
organs of a dog into a human being) were not only banned from publication but forbidden t
The Epifan Locks
Chev-engur
The Foundation Pit
RAPP’s ‘class war’ reached fever pitch, however, in 1929 with its organized campaign of vi
RAPP’s ‘class war’ reached fever pitch, however, in 1929 with its organized campaign of vi
RAPP’s ‘class war’ reached fever pitch, however, in 1929 with its organized campaign of vi
We
Red Mahogany,
For the Five-year Plan was not just a programme of industrialization. It was nothing less
For the Five-year Plan was not just a programme of industrialization. It was nothing less
For the Five-year Plan was not just a programme of industrialization. It was nothing less
* Pilnyak’s best-known novels are The Naked Year (192.1), Black Bread (1923) and Machines and
* Pilnyak’s best-known novels are The Naked Year (192.1), Black Bread (1923) and Machines and
* Pilnyak’s best-known novels are The Naked Year (192.1), Black Bread (1923) and Machines and
The Naked Year
Black Bread
Machines and Wolves
understand and relate to as positive ideals. For the militants of RAPP this could only be a
understand and relate to as positive ideals. For the militants of RAPP this could only be a
understand and relate to as positive ideals. For the militants of RAPP this could only be a
93
Gorky was hailed as the model for this Soviet literature. In 1921, horrified by the Revo
Gorky was hailed as the model for this Soviet literature. In 1921, horrified by the Revo
Gorky was hailed as the model for this Soviet literature. In 1921, horrified by the Revo
Gorky had initially supported the RAPP campaign of promoting worker authors as a tempor
Gorky had initially supported the RAPP campaign of promoting worker authors as a tempor
Gorky had initially supported the RAPP campaign of promoting worker authors as a tempor
Soviet Union. Gorky’s understanding was that Socialist Realism would unite the critical r
Soviet Union. Gorky’s understanding was that Socialist Realism would unite the critical r
Soviet Union. Gorky’s understanding was that Socialist Realism would unite the critical r
Socialist Realism means not only knowing reality as it is, but knowing where it is moving. It
Socialist Realism means not only knowing reality as it is, but knowing where it is moving. It
Socialist Realism means not only knowing reality as it is, but knowing where it is moving. It
94
In this formula the artist was to produce a panegyric or iconic form of art which conforme
In this formula the artist was to produce a panegyric or iconic form of art which conforme
In this formula the artist was to produce a panegyric or iconic form of art which conforme
95
kinoki
96
Mother
Bildungsroman:
Chapaev
Cement
How the Steel Was Tempered
Party’s mythic version of its own revolutionary history; even senior writers were forced
Party’s mythic version of its own revolutionary history; even senior writers were forced
Party’s mythic version of its own revolutionary history; even senior writers were forced
To the sophisticated Western reader this no doubt seems a horrible perversion of the ro
To the sophisticated Western reader this no doubt seems a horrible perversion of the ro
To the sophisticated Western reader this no doubt seems a horrible perversion of the ro
Among Soviet people the thirst for reading is totally unimaginable. Newspapers, journ
Among Soviet people the thirst for reading is totally unimaginable. Newspapers, journ
Among Soviet people the thirst for reading is totally unimaginable. Newspapers, journ
7
Isaiah Berlin noted the same attitudes to literature on his visit to the Soviet Union
Isaiah Berlin noted the same attitudes to literature on his visit to the Soviet Union
Isaiah Berlin noted the same attitudes to literature on his visit to the Soviet Union
The rigid censorship which, with so much else, suppressed pornography, trash and low-grade
The rigid censorship which, with so much else, suppressed pornography, trash and low-grade
The rigid censorship which, with so much else, suppressed pornography, trash and low-grade
* The most famous example is Alexander Fadeev. In 1946 he won the Stalin Prize for The You
* The most famous example is Alexander Fadeev. In 1946 he won the Stalin Prize for The You
* The most famous example is Alexander Fadeev. In 1946 he won the Stalin Prize for The You
The Young Guard,
actors… with loud expressions of approval or disapproval; the excitement generated wa
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